Lantern construction



P 1, v1962 N K. RHOADES LANTERN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July29, 1959 INVENTOR NOLA/V K. RHOADES flaw ATTORNEYS P 1, 1962 N. K.RHOADES 3,053,978

LANTERN CONSTRUCTION Filed July 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llL 62 5a 84INVENTOR 20 20 NOLAN K. RHOADES I i 5 fig u ATTORNEYS 3,053,978 LANTERNCGNSTRUCTTON Nolan It. Rhoades, Eeloit, Wis, assignor to The ElectricStorage Battery ompany, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New JerseyFiled July 29, 1959, Ser. No. 830,323 '2 Claims. (Cl. 240-1063) Thisinvention relates to a lantern construction. More specifically, thisinvention relates to a hand lantern having a base member with a pivotedhead lamp. A handle comprising a conspicuously flashing danger lamp isalso pivotally attached to the base member. Means are provided to lockthe handle from pivoting.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lantern having a basemember with a head lamp and a danger lamp pivotally attached thereto,both lamps being capable of universal movement with respect to said basemember.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hand lanternhaving a head lamp and a danger lamp, said danger lamp comprising thelantern handle.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of constructionand arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in thespecification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with portions broken away to showinternal structure, and showing in dotted lines the pivotal movement ofthe handle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view thereof taken on a line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the danger bulb mounting bracket; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation thereof, with the head lamp and handlepivoted around on the base member to illustrate the universal pivoting.

More specifically, the lantern of my invention is shown in FIG. 1 andgenerally designated 10. It includes a base member 12 comprising an openrectangular box 14 having a bottom wall and four sidewalls extendingupwardly therefrom. The base member also includes a cover 16 comprisingan inverted channel-shaped structure with an upper horizontal wall 18and two downwardly extending sidewalls 26. At either end the upperhorizontal wall has downwardly and inwardly directed margins '22 whichterminate adjacent the top of the box. Aligned apertures are made in thecover 16 and in the sidewalls of the box, and hinge pins 24 passtherethrough to pivot the parts together. Preferably, the apertures inthe box are surrounded respectively by outwardly extending bearings 26to avoid interference of the walls of the box and the cover as theypivot.

Secured to the upper wall of the cover by a rivet 28 or other means is adownwardly extending resilient latch strip 30. It terminates in anoutwardly curved portion 32 and has an aperture 34 adjacent its distalend. The box has a rearwardly extending lug 36 riveted to its rearsidewall. As the box is being closed, the latch strip 30 flexes againstthe lug. Upon complete closure, the lug 36 snaps into the aperture toeffect a locking. It will be understood that the base member 12 isadapted to receive appropriate batteries for the lantern.

A frontal standard 33 is secured to the top of the base member 12 by agrommet 40. The grommet is of slip fit to permit rotation of thestandard with respect to the base member. The portion of the coverimmediately under the frontal standard may be slightly raised to providea bearing surface 42 for the undersurface of the standard. The frontalstandard 38 comprises a U-shaped member 3,053,978 Patented Sept. 11,1962 having two upwardly extending arms 44 and a central bight 46. Thearms are apertured. Also extending upwardly from the cover is aresilient bracket 48. The bracket is anchored to the underside of thecover by the same rivet 28 holding the resilient latch strip, butdiverges therefrom and extends upwardly through an appropriate aperturein the top wall 18 of the cover. The bracket 48 normally extendsperpendicularly upward and has adjacent its distal end a rectangularopening 50. For strengthening, the bracket may be channel-shaped incross section toward its upper end and may also have an integral topflange 52.

The lantern includes a head lamp 54, which incorporates illuminationmeans of the sealed beam or the more conventional bulb-reflector type.The head lamp housing has two parallel rearwardly directed ears 56apertured toward their distal ends. An elongated tubular handle 58 isalso provided and is formed with a transverse bore adjacent its frontend. A bolt, pin, or the like 60 extends through the apertures in thefrontal standard, through the apertures in the ears of the head lamp andthrough the bore in the tubular handle to pivotally relate all theparts. This pivotal relation, coupled with the pivotal attachment of thefrontal standard to the base member, permits a universal action of thehandle 58 and the head lamp 54 with respect to the base member 12. (SeeFIG. 6.)

The specific structure of the tubular handle is well shown in FIG. 3. Itis made of a rugged material such as molded polyethylene capable ofpassing light, and is preferably tinted red. The forward end of thetubular handle 58 is notched out to provide space for a switch means 62,and its outer surface is slightly reduced in diameter to receive a metalend cap 64. The switch means may be as described in the presentlypending application of Edward J. Garland, entitled Lantern Construction,filed in the US. Patent Office on May 22, 1959, and assigned Serial No.815,002. The opposite sides of the end cap 64 have an aperture forreceiving the frontal standard fastening bolt 60. Teh upper surface ofthe cap is slotted to pass switch actuating means 66, and the lowersurface is appropriately apertured to receive a small flat head setscrew 68.

A substantially J-shaped metal mounting piece 70 is provided and carrieson its intermediate run 72 a bulb receptacle 74. Each end of themounting piece 70 has an outwardly directed finger 76. In assembly, abulb 78 installed in the receptacle extends into the handle 58, and

the fingers 76 abut the open mouth of the handle (see FIG. 3). Theswitch means 62 having downwardly extending projections 80 are disposedin the notch of the handle. The end cap 64 covers the open end of thehandle and the set screw 68 extends up through the aperture in the cap,through the handle wall, and engages a tapped hole in the mounting piece70. The bolt 60 passes between the projections 80 and supports theswitch means. Appropriate wiresrun from the switch means 62 to thebattery in the base member 12 and the lamps. One terminal of the batteryis grounded to the metal frame of the lantern and one terminal of eachbulb is also grounded to complete the circuits.

As shown in FIGS. 1, through 3 and 4, the tubular handle 58 is formedwith longitudinal grooves 82 not only adding to the attractiveness ofthe design but making it a more conspicuous danger lamp. The handle ispreferably tapered slightly inward from its front end toward its rearend so that the diameter at the rear end is smaller. Formed on the rearend is an outwardly directed lug 84 which is tapered upwardly in anoutward direction so that it projects a distance greater from the endsurface of the handle at its top than at its lower end. The interior ofthe tubular handle is formed with longitudinally extending taperedridges 86 to give it added strength.

The breaking results in a cooling of the filament and com-j pletion ofthe circuit to start the cycle over.

The operation of the handle 58 and the resilient bracket 48 will beapparent from FIG. 1. The handle 58 may be pivoted from the horizontalposition shown after the upper end of the bracket 48 is flexedrearwardly. This permits the lug 84 to escape the bracket. To lock thehandle once more in horizontal position, the reverse procedure isexercised: the bracket 48 is flexed back and the handle is broughthorizontal. The bracket is then released, the aperture 50 receiving thelug.

It will be seen that my lantern provides a new flexibility in handlanterns of the head lamp-danger lamp type. By means of my arrangement,universal movement of the lamps relative to the base member 12 isachieved. This permits rotation of the headlamp to direct its beam inany direction despite position of the base member. At the same time itpermits tilting up of the danger lamp to make it more conspicuous. Whenreturned to normal position, the danger lamp may be firmly locked by mynovel latching means. Additionally, the feature of the danger lampserving as the handle is not only intriguing, and a source of greatsales appeal, but also reduces the cost of the lantern.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptibleof various changes without departing from the spirit and scope of theclaimed invention.

I claim:

1. A hand lantern comprising a base member, a frontal standard securedto the top of said base member by means enabling pivotal movement abouta vertical axis, said frontal standard being directed upward from saidbase member, a head lamp attached to the upper end of the said frontalstandard, an elongated handle having one end pivotally fastened to theupper end of said frontal standard, the other end of said handle beingformed with an outwardly protruding lug, said handle comprising atubular member of light transmitting material, a bulb mounted in saidhandle, power means disposed in said base member and electricallyconnected to said bulb, and

a resilient bracket secured to and extending upward from the rear end ofsaid base member, said bracket being formed with an aperture spacedabove said base member, said bracket being adapted to flex to receivesaid lug in said aperture, whereby said handle may be held frompivoting.

2. A hand lantern comprising a base member, a frontal standard securedto the top of said base member by means enabling pivotal movement abouta vertical axis, said frontal standard being directed upward from saidbase member, a head lamp attached to the upper end of said frontalstandard, an elongated handle having one end pivotally fastened'to theupper end of said frontal standard, said handle comprising a tubularmember of light transmitting material, a bulb mounted in said handle,power means disposed in said base member and electrically connected tosaid bulb, latching means for securing the free end of said handle,whereby it may be prevented from pivoting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,538,545 Emery May 19, 1925 1,592,178 Carpenter July 13, 1926 1,655,174White Jan. 3, 1928 2,501,572 Marquez Mar. 21, 1950 2,581,129 MuldoonJan. 1, 1952 2,861,174 Talbot et al. Nov. 18, 1958

